Monday, Juneteenth!

Today is Juneteenth, the holiday celebration of the emancipation of slaves in Texas. The Homestead National Park includes numerous details of the homesteading efforts of freed slaves.

I drank my morning coffee from the back porch of the Park's Heritage (Visitor's) Center. It has a nice view over the park. 

The sky was pure blue until a jet trail bisected it.

White Line

The cloudless blue sky

becomes divided by an

airliner’s white trail.

Inhale

No words can describe 

the pure freshness of the air.

Close your eyes and breathe.

Bending, Yielding

The tallgrass prairie

rhythmically bows to the breeze.

A gyrating dance.

Imaginary Boundaries

Fencing in or out?

Barbed wire defines fields and range.

Except leaping deer.

Instinct

Killdeer are actors,

faking a broken wing to

distract from their nests.

Can you taste it?

My tongue catches a

released sweat bullet sliding

down my cheek. Salty.

For Mom

Cancer is evil:

The Devil stealing bodies.

But strong souls resist.

Later, I spent time on the back porch of the Park's Education Center. I first painted a color landscape.

Next I tried 2 mostly monochromatic nighttime scenes. I have been wanting to try to paint the night.

Some HUGE horseflies were buzzing this area. This one was almost 1.5 inches in length!

An oriole had a nest hanging overhead. These are spectacularly colored birds. I wonder if orioles eat horseflies?

I was interviewed by reporter, Christina Lyons, of the Beatrice Daily Sun newspaper. She said I will be featured later this week.